The New Deal
by Boo26
Summary: Fic set post BDM. A glimpse at what might happen next...
1. Chapter 1

**The New Deal**

**Disclaimer: **

This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the_ Serenity_ movie or _Firefly_ series.

**A/N: **

This fic was written by my dad, who asked me to post it on here. I have to admit that I have been lazy and so it has taken me almost a year to do so! The fic was written for a Firefly competition and it came second – I think it's pretty good.

* * *

A faint light was coming through Kaylee's porthole – the ship was landed and it was nearly dawn. Awake now, she decided she may as well rise and get the crew's breakfast started. Making her way towards the hold, she felt a slight chill, and as she reached the gantry she realized that the main hold door was open. She crept nervously down the companionway to see a tall figure silhouetted against the glowing sky. Creeping quietly forward, she called out.

'Didn't figure you for a romantic, Captain. Watching the sunrise an all'

Mal turned and smiled. 'Me? No. I'm just anxious, wondering where that gorram contact is - he was supposed to be here yesterday, dammit. If he ain't here by noon I reckon I'll have to head into town. See what's happened to him or find some other deal. We sure as hell need the cash.'

He paused, scratching the stubble on his chin. 'You figuring on fixing some coffee?'

'Sure thing, Captain.' Kaylee smiled and turned back into the hold. She didn't see Mal turn and look again at the reddening sky before he followed her.

Later that morning, Simon was making his way up towards the bridge when he heard low but strained voices: Zoe and the Captain. Arguing again. How often had they done that in the last few weeks? But it was the mention of his sister, River's name by one of the voices that made him stop and listen in, undetected.

'Yeah, she's good. She's more than good.' Mal said.

'Then why do you…?' asked Zoe.

'Why do I think we need another pilot?' said Mal. 'We've been through all this before.'

'And I'm still not convinced.'

'No you're just…', he hesitated.

'Just what?' asked Zoe, her voice rising now.

Mal took a breath before replying.

'You're just not convinced. I understand that. I…appreciate your viewpoint. But Zoe, we do need back up. Yes, River seems fine now, but you know how she was, when she first came on board. What if she relapses or whatever? Besides, she's good to have with us when we're dirt side – she's too good a fighter. But we still need someone sitting here for when things don't go so well. And, as you may have noticed, just occasionally they actually don't go so well.'

'That's true,' Zoe conceded, still not sounding convinced.

Simon backed away quietly. Not a good time to ask about the extra medicines he wanted for sickbay. Should he be worried that Mal was planning to look for another pilot now that that was his sister's role? Probably not; Mal had kept River on board even before she had any obvious skills to offer. The Captain surely wouldn't dump her off the ship now. But the thing that did trouble Simon was that, though he didn't like to admit it even to himself, he shared some of the Mal's doubts about the possibility of River suffering a relapse.

Noon came and went with no sign of Mal's elusive contact. Grumbling to himself, he ordered Jayne and Zoe to the mule for a trip into the nearby township. Kaylee and Simon both begged to go along and, reluctantly, Mal agreed. Kaylee had borrowed an aquamarine silk scarf from Inara, which she neatly arranged on shoulders as the mule set off. Seeing Kaylee's obvious pleasure, Inara couldn't help herself:

'Hey, Kaylee – it really suits you. Better than it ever did me. Not my colour – you can keep it.'

The mule shot off at just that moment, and Kaylee had no chance to offer her thanks – so she just smiled and waved.

In the township, Mal's mood grew even darker. There was still no sign of the contact Mal had been promised, and at address he had been given no one had even heard of Django Barnes. Angrily, he led the way to the nearest bar. Kaylee and Simon sensibly made their excuses to leave the group. Even Jayne, surprisingly, seemed to have grasped that a fun afternoon was not in prospect, as he too left, saying that he'd meet back up later. When Zoe left to go to the restroom, Mal was left to brood by himself.

Zoe took her time and his mood degenerated further. The restroom door opened, but instead of Zoe he saw two other women emerge, a redhead and a blonde, giggling together. He tried to ignore the fact that they seemed to be looking directly at him as they whispered their way across the room. As he turned from watching them leave the bar, he saw Zoe coming back with a huge grin on her face. It was a shock – the first time he'd seen her smile in way too long – and he temporarily forgot his black mood.

Lowering herself into the chair next to him, Zoe turned to him.

'You owe me a drink.'

'Well sure, but…why?'

'I got us a contract,' she beamed.

'How? When?' he asked, and then, more suspiciously, 'Where?'

Zoe nodded towards the ladies' room. 'Yup. In there.' She leaned forward to drain her glass.

'Tell me.' Mal demanded.

'It's shiny, Captain. I overheard two women talking. They've been let down by their regular shipper. Taking certain items to Brax III – just under a week away. Nothing illegal mind. But their regular shipper is a woman captain – seems they're nervous of dealing with men.'

'Why?'

'Well…because the contract involves shipping supplies and staff to a…cathouse.'

Mal looked puzzled.

'A whorehouse, Captain.'

'Oh. I see.'

'So they like a woman captain. Less likely to allow anything untoward on board.'

'Hmm,' said Mal. 'They assume that men just can't be trusted.'

At that moment Jayne walked back into the bar.

'Point taken,' said Mal.

'Shouldn't we get goin?' asked Jayne, not sitting down, which Mal thought unusual.

Mal turned back to Zoe. 'These two women. Were they a blonde and a redhead?'

Zoe nodded.

'Did you say anything about me to them by any chance?'

Zoe hesitated, then nodded again.

'You didn't tell them I was your captain did you?'

She shook her head.

'I'm figuring you told them that you are the captain, huh?'

Another nod.

'So what did you tell them I was?'

Zoe smiled sweetly. 'How about that drink, Captain,'

Despite his evident pleasure at Zoe's improved mood. Mal was less than impressed when Zoe outlined the details of the deal she'd struck. The two women – Glerys and Fiona – wanted to meet Zoe later that day at their business address'. And they wanted to see Zoe alone. Mal remained less than happy with this prospect, complaining that it was unsafe to do business with people you don't know on planets that you're unfamiliar with. However two words from Zoe - Django' and Barnes' - rather deflated his argument. To his surprise, Jayne didn't seem too bothered one way or another about the deal, saying only that he'd had enough of the town and wanted to get back to the ship. When Mal told him he must stay, he seemed both irritable and a little nervous. 'Not his usual mood around whores', thought Mal.

When they reached the address Zoe had been given. It looked like a run-down factory.

'More like a warehouse than a whorehouse,' Jayne muttered as he wriggled his shoulders.

'I guess you'd know,' said Zoe. 'Besides, I never said it was a whorehouse. This is their supply depot.'

Zoe made her way forward, 'You two can wait here. And try to look like my hired muscle, won't you? What's with you, Jayne?'

Mal turned to the distinctly uncomfortable looking Jayne too.

'Yeah, what is up with you?'

'I'm fine,' growled Jayne.

A short while later, Zoe returned, and the three started back towards their mule.

'It's all sorted,' said Zoe. 'The goods will be brought out to the ship in a couple of hours.'

'You told them the location of my ship?' Mal fumed.

Zoe ignored his outburst. 'It's cool Captain. They're a couple of really nice women, who've worked hard to build themselves a business - across several systems. And with no men to mess things up.'

Mal snorted.

'The pay is 15K – and it could be a regular trip if their other captain don't show up again.'

Mal's eyes brightened at the figures, but all he said was 'Yeah. I wonder what happened to her. Any case, I don't want my ship turned into some whore bus service. Where's the freedom in that?'

'It ain't always people, Mal. In fact this trip is just equipment, like I said – though they do want us to stop by Sable and pick up some guy there. Lawyer, I think. Will add a couple of days to the trip.'

'You never said anything about Sable,' Mal snarled, then he added, 'Oh, it's OK. Well done Zoe.'

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Please Review!! 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **

This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the_ Serenity_ movie or _Firefly_ series.

**A/N:**

Hey!

Thank you very much to Nyokokuri, Jarvey and ded-ringr for reviewing. I really appreciate it. This is the second chapter. I know it's short, but I decided to split the original one into two parts. (So the next part will be the end).

Out of interest, has anyone heard the song 'A boy called Sue' by Jonny Cash?

* * *

Two days into the trip, the crew were gathered for a meal. 

'Has anyone seen my scarf?' asked Kaylee. The old yellow, woolly one. I can't find it in my cabin.'

'What d'you need that old thing for?' asked Jayne. 'The new one Inara gave you suits you better.'

'My god, it's Jayne the fashion advisor!' said Zoe, before her face contorted as a tremendous sneeze took hold.

'And this from a guy who wears that hat,' added Simon.

'What's wrong with my hat?' boomed Jayne, turning towards Simon.

'Nothing. It's a fine hat,' interjected Mal quickly.

Jayne beamed back at his approval and reached for the salt.

'Is that a scratch on your arm?', asked Inara.

'A ladyfriend on the last planet get too friendly?', asked Zoe innocently.

'S'nothin,' muttered Jayne. 'Who's this guy we're picking up on Sable anyway?'

'Just a lawyer,' Zoe replied. 'I guess in their business the girls need all types of protection.'

Mal chuckled 'I guess that they do.' Then he added, 'We'll make Sable tomorrow.'

Zoe sneezed again.

'You know, the fridge seems all wrong to me,' said Kaylee. 'I think someone's taking stuff.'

* * *

The hold door lowered, to reveal a man already striding up towards the ship, a bag slung over his back. He was tall and blonde, with a strong but weather beaten face. 

He held his hand out to Zoe as she met him on the ramp. Captain. 'Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Mike Bliss.'

Mal, who was standing back in the shadows, strangled a laugh. The new man shot him a quick look but then ignored him.

'Pleased to make yours too, Mike,' Zoe replied.

'Just call me Bliss, most folks do.'

Zoe turned and fixed Mal with a glare before he could say anything, but he just smiled.

Bliss looked around the hold. 'Firefly, huh? She got the 7B engine mod?'

Mal stepped forward, looking more serious now. 'You know a lot about ships…for a lawyer.'

'That I do,' grinned Bliss. 'That I do. Anyway, has she got the mod?

'Maybe,' said Mal.

Zoe sneezed.

* * *

In the darkness of Serenity's next night, a tall figure quietly made its way through the silent corridors, past the cargo hold and on to the galley. The figure paused and then opened the door of the fridge. The light from inside the store lit the figure up momentarily, but then the main lights flooded the deck, and the startled figure turned around. 

Mal was at the light switch, and pointing a gun. 'Jayne? What the hell! So you're our food thief – just what you got there?'

Mal strode over to a dumbstruck Jayne, who was holding several packets of meat substitute and a flask of milk.

'What's wrong big guy, ain't we feeding you enough?'

Jayne hesitated, before answering. 'That's right Mal, I get kinda hungry and…'

'- You crave meat and milk?...Wait a minute.' Mal turned and started to stride away, Jayne chasing after.

'What's going on?' asked a sleepy Zoe emerging from her cabin. Jayne continued to remonstrate as the captain made his way to Jayne's cabin. He flung open the door. Other crew members began to shuffle into view as the volume of Jayne's protests increased.

Mal stood in the doorway to Jayne's room.

'Figures,' was all he said at what he saw.

The rest of the crew gathered , straining to see over the shoulders of the two men.

'Hey, that's my scarf!' began Kaylee before she stopped and then added, 'Oh, that's so cute!'

Bundled up on top of the yellow scarf (which was inside an ammunition box) was a kitten.

'Was this thing under your shirt the other day?' asked Mal. 'You realize it ain't allowed?'

'Why not?' asked Jayne plaintively as Kaylee and River pushed past to crouch down by the kitten.

'Cos it's against the rules.'

'What rules?' asked Jayne.

'My rules - no animals on board!'

'But we've had cattle in the hold afore now,'

'That's different – this thing was… _smuggled _on board.'

'Well you smuggled a woman on board once.' Jayne countered.

'Different again,' said Mal. 'She was my wife.'

'No she wasn't,' said Kaylee, as she played with the young cat.

'Well…she had been,' replied Mal.

'No. She hadn't,' Inara put in.

'Well it's my ship and I make the rules,' Mal almost screamed in exasperation, as he turned and left the rest of the crew admiring Jayne's kitten.

Just outside Zoe sneezed.

'Have you given it a name?', asked Kaylee.

Jayne grinned, 'Yeah, I'm calling her Susie. I used to have a gun called that.'

Simon, who was stroking the kitten's soft belly, said 'You may want to re-think that.'

Jayne looked confused.

'I think you'll find that she's a he. Don't you check on these things?'

'The trader said it was a girl,' Jayne said, looking hurt.

River turned and smiled at him. 'Never mind, you can just shorten it.'

'What, to Sue'? I ain't having no boy-cat called Sue.'

'No,' River replied, gently. 'Back on old Earth, there was a warrior people of that name – spelt SIOUX'.

Jayne brightened, 'A warrior people, eh? Sioux. I like that.'

Outside, Zoe sneezed again. 'Jayne,' she called out bad temperedly. 'Did it not occur to you that some of us might be allergic to cats?'

'I can give you a shot for that,' Simon called. 'Come and see me in the morning.'

'Oh. Great. I just love shots.' said Zoe, and slowly turned back down the corridor towards her cabin, sneezing again on her way.

'Is this ship always this much fun?', asked Bliss, brightly. He had been watching, unnoticed, from just outside the cabin. 'And when exactly did Mr Reynolds become the captain?'

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Please review! 

Boo26.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**

This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the_ Serenity_ movie or _Firefly_ series.

**A/N :**

Hello!

I'm sorry for taking ages to post this last chapter. A flaw of mine is time management...  
Anyway, I would like to say thank you very much to Morwen Tindomerel for reviewing. And yes, I agree that every ship should have a cat.

* * *

Two days later, Mal, Zoe and Jayne were approaching a large, pink house, walking next to the loaded mule. Bliss walked along with them, his bag slung over his shoulder. As they reached the house, a young woman came out through the porch door. 

'You'll be Captain Zoe?' she asked, smiling. 'I'm Sally. Have your men unload the stuff around the back. If you want to come in, I believe your payment's all ready.'

She turned to the last member of the party. 'And you must be Mister Bliss. We've certainly been waiting for you. Come with me and Captain Zoe.'

Mal and Jayne glared, as Zoe and Bliss followed the woman in through the front porch.

Back on board Serenity, as it sped into space, Mal looked brighter than he had for several days - as he surveyed the money the trip had brought in.

'I'm a big enough man to admit it Zoe. I was wrong. Your deal was good. And it certainly paid well.'

'Sure thing, Captain.'

Mal raised an eyebrow. 'What, no gloating? No barbed come back?'

'I can be barbed if you want,' Zoe smiled, then she sneezed.

'That problem come back again?' asked Mal. 'Best go find Simon for a shot.'

Zoe looked momentarily confused.

'Against Jayne's cat. Against Sioux.'

'Oh, yeah…of course,' said Zoe. ' I'll go now.'

Simon was talking to River in the sickbay when Zoe walked in and climbed onto the examination couch. ' I've come to get my shot – that cat of Jayne's is making me all itchy again.'

'Really?' said Simon, evidently surprised. 'That shot shouldn't need a boost – ever.'

'Well I guess it does. She must be especially potent.'

'Who?'

'Why Jayne's cat of course. Her fur must be particularly noxious.'

River was now staring intently at Zoe, who looked directly back. Then in a single motion, Zoe leapt from the couch and grabbed a surgical knife. She moved in on River, who pushed a chair over into her way. A metal dish clanged to the floor. After a brief struggle, River managed to push Zoe away, and she grabbed a knife for herself. The two women circled each other for a moment, then closed. A frantically fast knife fight ensued - but neither seemed able to gain an advantage.

Just a few seconds later Mal and Jayne came running in to see what the disturbance was.

'God damn it, Simon, River's flipped again,' Mal shouted.

He and Jayne were studying the fight and, when they saw a chance, each moved in to break it up - Jayne managing to grab Zoe, while Mal restrained River.

There was a brief pause. River stopped resisting and lowered her blade. Zoe glared angrily across at her.

'So. What is all this?' Mal demanded, he turned River around to face him.

'Captain. You don't understand. That's not Zoe it's -'

Her words were cut off as Zoe leapt free from Jayne's grip and charged River's vulnerable back. Mal looked up. He raised in defence the hand in which he held River's wrist. The knife in River's hand plunged into Zoe's chest - and Zoe fell backwards.

'Zoe!' screamed Mal.

'It's not Zoe, Captain, it's not,' River shouted. ' She's got all Zoe's looks, all her traits. But it's not her. It's not her inside'

Simon checked frantically over the body on the floor, but then looked up gravely shook his head at Mal. Then he looked pointedly at his sister. He reached over to a surgical tool cabinet, took out a small syringe-like item and used it to take a microscopic tissue sample, which he then took over to and inserted into the lab's bio-analyser. He tapped in some codes, and the machine started processing. The others stood by, exchanging uncertain looks with one another. Mal maintained his grip on River.

Simon studied the results on a screen. 'I'm afraid it is Zoe's DNA…No wait - there's something else…it's not. This isn't Zoe. This woman's own DNA has been altered; most cells have changed, but you can still see the original pattern in some cells.'

He turned to the crew.

'Someone must have obtained Zoe's DNA and then altered this woman's. They'd have needed some time before they could make the switch. We'd have stayed fooled too, if Zoe hadn't had an allergy shot in the meantime'

Mal stared at the floor and growled, They must have got what they needed when they met her alone – they could get DNA from just a glass she used or something, right? Then they sent us to Brax via Sable - to give themselves time to get their woman in place.'

He looked up suddenly, 'Zoe is still on Brax III!'

* * *

The pink house was in darkness as Mal, Jayne and River silently approached. They sneaked around to the back door, where Jayne expertly dealt with the lock. As they entered, an alarm sounded loudly in the night. Seemingly regardless, Mal lead the way, striding through rooms and down passages, knocking various opponents out of the way and shooting others. The woman, Sally, quickly found herself looking down his gun barrel. 

'You know what I want,' said Mal. 'I hope for your sake that she's still here and that she's unharmed.'

Looking worried and dressed only in her night things, Sally led them down into the basement. Zoe was there, held by chains to the wall of a cell. She looked scared but not physically hurt. 'This one of your special equipment rooms?' Mal asked Sally, without humour.

_'Xie xie_, Captain,' Zoe whispered as he freed her. 'See I told you it was a good deal and there'd be no problems.' Then she added 'Is River OK? It was all about her – the Alliance wanted to get an assassin on the ship'.

Mal nodded, 'Figures. Seems the deal is this: they don't want River back no more, but they don't want her loose neither.'

As they turned to leave, a male voice called out from a neighbouring room: 'You going to leave me here?' Mal turned to see Bliss - also chained, and looking as if he'd had a heavy beating.

'I don't know who or what he is, but they wanted some information out of him,' Zoe whispered. 'Guess they figured it was a good joke getting us to bring him here. He's not told them anything yet. I think they were planning to start again in the morning.'

Mal looked Bliss up and down. 'Are you really a gorram lawyer?'

Bliss nodded. 'Sure am. Among other things of course.'

'What other things?'

'Well, I'm a damned good pilot, for one' said Bliss.

'Hell,' said Malcolm, heading towards the man's chains.

* * *

And that's the end. Thanks for reading. I would really appreciate it if you also reviewed. 

Boo26.


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